Chapter 25
Gabriel: #Friend-Zoned
N ora’s behavior has changed since we’ve returned from home. I’m not sure if it’s the ‘good’ change or the ‘bad’. We’ve not had sex again, nowhere close to it. We haven’t even kissed. Has it been on my mind? Hell yes! Every time I see her. But I don’t want to initiate the ‘stupid act’ again. It’s not worth jeopardizing our friendship over.
She asked me about the lawyer I’d suggested to her mom for her divorce, questioning why I never told her. I mean, what was there to tell? Maybe she’s upset over that. On top of all this, work’s been crazy. All week, I’ve been preparing for the presentation scheduled for the coming week in Paris and it’s taking everything from me. I spend all my time on that and helping Alex and my MooreGames team in the transition. Almost all my time, except when I’m thinking about Nora. But yeah, most of my time is devoted to it.
In the evenings, Nora has been guiding and helping me understand social media, search engine optimizations, and how to use social media insights and keyword research tools to understand what my audience is searching for and engaging with.
I post often on Twitter (now X, but I can’t seem to get the new name on my lips), Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. I’m everywhere, but the best part is that I’m reusing a lot of content, changing it a little to suit the platform, but using the same basic idea.
I intersperse it with a few photos from my personal life, of evenings with Nora or the dinner I prepare sometimes. Once you get the hang of it, it’s not that difficult. I tag Nora on my posts that are to do with her and that has helped me boost my following. People seem to like us as a couple, even friends from school have commented on our posts.
But while we show a happy-couple picture in our digital lives, it is only staged to perfection. I’m at a loss to understand where we stand in the real world.
I have a meeting with Alex on Friday before I leave for Paris later in the evening. I’ve asked Nora to accompany me, at least for a few days. She agreed, saying it would give us excellent photo opportunities that’ll help shut up any doubters that still exist. Plus, with Sophia in Paris, it might be better if she were also there.
I, of course, have my simple reason—I want to spend more time with her. Every fucking minute of every fucking hour.
I meet Alex in my new office to save the commute time. For now, I want to use any extra minute I can spare to work on my strategy.
“Wow!” Alex says, as my assistant escorts him into my office. “This is quite cool. I notice you have some bean bags and recliners in one room. Quite different from the banking offices I’m used to.”
I smile. “Yeah, that was my idea and the people love it. Got them only yesterday. The team spends so much time here that I think it’s best to make them comfortable and give them space to work as they please. So, you’re comfortable with the MooreGames business by now?”
“Yup. I am,” he says, sitting opposite me. “I have a few questions, but mostly I’m set.”
“Okay. Let’s get to them.”
He opens up his system and we spend the next half an hour discussing the company’s financials and future projections. He’s optimized a few more things and I’m quite impressed by the level of detail he has gotten into in such a short period.
Once we’re done, I pick his brain on the online strategy for my company that I plan to present to the board on the coming Monday. I note down his suggestions and the questions that might arise and how I can best defend my strategy.
“I can see Nora’s influence in this. I believe she has coached you a little, right?”
I nod. “She has. Thanks to her I have a better understanding of what it will entail to take a part of the business digital and how we can use influencers to market our brand to the right people. She’s pretty good.”
“Yeah, she is. And given the photos you both keep posting, I’m assuming things between you are going well? Are they?”
I shake my head and lean back on my chair. “I don’t know, man. Really! I can’t figure it out one bit. I mean, last weekend when we went home, we had sex. And it was amazing.”
Alex lets out a whistle. “Cool. Amazing for you or for her too? Does she remember it or has forgotten it like your kiss?” He chortles away, banging the table with his palm.
“Shut up, man. I’m sure it was good for her, too. Just like the kiss was good. But anyway, she thought it was a stupid act that we did. And that we should pretend it never happened.”
“Pretend to whom? I mean, everyone who knows or thinks they know you’re dating would think you’re banging. And you actually have done it too. So why pretend and for whom? I don’t understand.”
“Neither do I. But that’s what she said. Maybe she doesn’t want this. Us . Perhaps she can’t think of me as anything but a friend. Shit! I’ve been friend-zoned! A place where I thought I could never be. Or worse. She said it’ll destroy our friendship. Perhaps she’s right. Everyone knows I suck at relationships. Ugh! I hate this.”
“Have you told her how you feel?”
“I wanted to, but she beat me to it and declared that sex ruins friendships and that we should forget about all that’s happened between us. Look, I know what she means, but I don’t know if I can forget it all.”
“Why don’t you tell her all this and see how it goes?”
“Didn’t you hear a word of what I just said? I destroy relationships. I can’t keep a steady girlfriend for more than a few months. What if I spoil it? Her friendship is too valuable for me to risk.”
“And what if she’s the one? What if you’ve not been able to have a steady girlfriend because you never found the right one? What if you don’t spoil it because she’s too important to you? Will you let your fear of failure stop you from even trying to achieve a lifetime of happiness?”
I let the words seep inside my brain. Could it be true? There was that possibility, right? Isn’t that what Paula also said? Even though we broke up, I can’t deny that she had a good sense with people.
So, maybe, just maybe , what he’s saying makes some bit of sense. But what if…?
“Look,” Alex says, as if reading my thoughts and indecisiveness. “It could go wrong. There are no guarantees. But it could go right too. Now you have to assess the probability of each, given that you two get along really well. You support each other no matter what. And most importantly, you both value each other more than any other relationship in your life.”
Alex could be on to something here.
“You’re right. I’ll tell her. I’ll tell her exactly how I feel, how much she means to me, and that I’ll do whatever it takes to keep her happy. And I know the perfect place to do it. The most romantic city on Earth. Paris. Thanks, man. But don’t breathe a word of this to Lily. Please.”
“Of course. She thinks you both are already in a relationship. She’s even started planning for a couple’s honeymoon since she couldn’t do that with Eva.”
We both laugh. Lily is super-excitable that way. I can totally imagine her scouting through travel packages and figuring out the best deal for all four of us. In fact, I won’t be surprised if she coaxes Eva and Ryan into a second honeymoon with all of us.
It’s a fun thought. A honeymoon with Nora. My wife.
Wow! My wife, Nora! I love how that sounds in my head.
“Well, let me know if you need any help with your presentation,” Alex says, standing up and walking over to the door. “I wish you all the best for your talk with the board and with Nora. I’m sure you’ll ace both.”
As he shuts the door behind him, I cross my fingers and hope what he says comes true.